The Challenge
by saraness
Summary: Starts in EOD, and has many time changes, including Tara is still alive, and so are Spike and Anya! Buffy wins the final battle and goes to see Angel. What happens when she discovers he is gone? Takes place post-S7 and Pre-S4 ats. BA
1. Ch 1 The end of Sunnydale

Disclaimer: I can only wish in my little head, that they are mine, alas they aren't. Pairings: W/T B/A A/X references to S/b and W/K and more Dedication: To Zxactol, who challenged me to this fiction! And for reading my others. Sorry it took so long. And to any other readers, hope you enjoy! Timeline: There are a LOT of fluxuations in the story:  
  
1. This takes place after S7 of Buffy, but before S4 Angel  
  
2. Tara didn't die in S6, but was put in a coma. Instead Warren killed Amy, but still shot Buffy and Tara, and it didn't kill them.  
  
3. Willow did go mad with grief for Buffy and Tara, who she thought was lost forever and Amy's death was just fuel to the fire. Willow did turn evil and did all the important stuff. Everything important happened in the last 3 eps. of S6 w/ different motivation, including Warren being killed and Xander saving Willow by reminding her that all was not lost.  
  
4. Everything important did happen in S7, including the first.  
  
5. Tara has been in a coma throughout s7 and was at the hospital.  
  
6. Kennedy did try to get w/ Willow, but she refused and they became close friends.  
  
7. Instead of Wesley breaking Faith out (since S4 of ats didn't happen), Anya and Xander did, at Buffy's request. Feedback: Always appreciated! Starts in "End of Days"  
  
"Does this mean I can win?" Buffy asked the guardian.  
  
"With these." The Guardian nodded.  
  
Buffy gripped the Scythe, "Plural?"  
  
The Guardian pulled out a necklace with an amulet hanging from it.  
  
"It is to be used in the Final battle."  
  
Buffy took hold of the amulet in her left hand, the right was still holding the scythe. She stared at it.  
  
Without looking up, Bufy asked "What is it?"  
  
"A powerful weapon," The Guardian said, "Much like the Scythe. Their surfacing must mean that an end is truly near."  
  
Two hands reached through the curtain and grasped the Guardian's head and twisted it with a loud crunch.  
  
Caleb stepped out from behind the dead body, "I'm sorry. I didn't hear, on the count of her neck snapping. Did she say an end was near...or here?" * * * * * * * * *  
  
AN: blah, blah... they fight...Angel DIDN'T come, and Buffy still killed Caleb, just with a few more broken bones. Come's home...gets kicked my Dawn, Xander makes a rather inappropriate and uncomfortable joke... they plan.  
  
Starts again at the school talk w/ the original scooby gang.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Well, now aren't we gonna discuss this? Save the world to go to the mall?" Giles complained.  
  
"I'm having a wicked shoe craving." Buffy told her best friends and the closest thing to a real father that she has.  
  
"Aren't you on the patch?" Xander joked.  
  
"Those never work." Willow chimed.  
  
"Here I am, invisible to the eye..." Giles complained again.  
  
The trio began to walk down the hallway, and separated until Buffy was the last one to find her exit. "You ready?" Buffy asked. "Never been more ready." Kennedy said. "You're sure about this?" Buffy cautioned. "Absolutely." Buffy took a deep breath and handed Kennedy the Amulet. They went into the room and all the potentials, with Faith and Buffy, began to spill their blood.  
* * * * * "Oh.My.Goddess." Willow was surrounded by a gold light. Her hair became pure white as she endowed each potential slayer with the power that Buffy and Faith possess.  
  
In the cave the girls could feel the transformation. Each girl felt stronger, faster and better than ever.  
  
Buffy led her sister slayers into battle. She shouted out commands. The power slowed in Willow until it was over, but she was still buzzing. She stood up and ran to the cave, "Buffy!" Buffy turned around and turned around to see her best friend, they smiled.  
  
Before she could focus on the battle once more, she felt a cold, sharp stabbing in her back.  
  
"Buffy!" Faith and Willow shouted simultaneously. They both rushed to her side. Kennedy felt a burning in her chest, "Willow!" She shouted through the chaos and light streaming though the amulet.  
  
Willow was torn, but Buffy managed to let a "Go.Will." Escape her lips. Willow smiled, "I love you Buff." Then she let go of her best friends hand to run her other friend.  
  
"B?" Faith asked as Buffy's body began to slump. Buffy was on the floor and growing tired with every second. "Faith. Fight." Faith took her hand off Buffy's arm and nodded as she stood up and returned to the fight.  
  
The pain was screaming inside Buffy. 'This must have been what Faith felt like.' Buffy thought guiltily. Buffy had been stabbed before, but that was with a wooden stake. A blade was so much colder and metallic. She watched the chaotic scene play out before her as her vision blackened. She wondered if this was the end.  
  
She wanted Willow to make it through so she could see Tara wake up. She wanted Dawn to be able to have everything she couldn't, and everyone else she cared about to be able to have some kind of normal life after all this. She didn't want it to be the end for her. She wanted to see him again, tell him she always will love him, she's always his girl. Buffy watched Willow tend to Kennedy, and Faith try to protect Amanda, and failing. She saw Spike battle 2 Uber-Vamps and protected them from Kennedy and Willow.  
  
Then a vision of herself walked toward her. "Oh no. ow. Mommy, this mortal wound is all...itchy." It knelt in front of Buffy's aching body. "You pulled a nice trick. You came pretty close to smacking me down. What more do you want?" The First asked.  
  
Buffy was fuming at the First's mockery. She felt her anger turn to adrenaline and strength.  
  
Through gritted teeth Buffy said, "I want you..." She sits up, "to get out of my face." She is standing.  
  
The First's eyes grew larger as a look of fury came onto the real Buffy's face. Faith threw the Scythe to Buffy and in one fluid motion Buffy destroyed 3 Uber-Vamps.  
  
AN: Reminder, Willow and Kennedy had nothing more than a friendship cause of Tara.  
  
"Kennedy!" Willow cried. The cave rumbled, "We gotta go!" Faith yelled an led everyone but Willow and Buffy out of the cave. Willow stood next to Kennedy. "Come on." She whispered, "It's time to go."  
  
Kennedy winced from the burning, "No. I have to finish this. It's my destiny." "Will! We have to go!" Buffy said, waiting on the stairs. "Thanks red." Kennedy said. "For what?" Willow asked, a tear falling from her face. "Being my friend." Willow followed Buffy out of the cave and out of the school, following Anya and Xander. Willow was crying now and moved slower. Buffy took her hand, "There's nothing we can do." Buffy pulled her best friend out of the falling school and to the bus.  
  
"Go!" she shouted as soon as she had one foot in the door, and Robin went.  
  
* * * * * They out-ran the diminishing city that had been their homes for years. Willow and Xander had grown up there, and Buffy had become a woman there, she met the love of her life there and killed him in Sunnydale. She died there, twice, and now it was falling. Giles switched with an injured Robin and drove. Everyone was trying o fix up as much as possible with the supplies they had. "Where shall we go to?" Giles asked Buffy. She too a deep breath, "LA." 


	2. Ch 2 Bus Ride and letting go

The Challenge chapter 2  
  
AN: sorry it took so long. School, sick, life. I have had a rough month. So here it is. Picks up right after the last 1 on the bus.  
  
Buffy walked down the bus aisle. She passed Andrew and Anya, reminiscing their bravery. Vi patching up Dawnie and ex-SIT's. Faith tending to Robin. Willow and Xander sitting next to Tara's coma-induced-body, resting. Finally she came to Spike, sitting next to a covered window.  
  
"Going to visit Captain Forehead then?" Spike remarked.  
  
"How'd you know?" Buffy wondered.  
  
"It's a small bus, love."  
  
Buffy sighed, she didn't want to explain to him why she needed to see Angel, partially because she didn't know herself, "I just...I have to talk to him."  
  
Buffy sat down next to Spike.  
  
Spike made an annoyed face and huffed, "Of course you do."  
  
"Will you stop?"  
  
Spike rolled his eyes.  
  
Buffy sighed. She took off her coat, folded it up and put it between her shoulders to keep off her stab wound. She tried to explain again, "When I was...hurt and on the ground, all I could do was think of him, and then I knew that if I made it through this alive, I would go to him." She looked at Spike who was looking at her, paying attention to her story, "William...You will always be in my heart. You proved to me that you are not a monster, but you are a good man."  
  
Spike smiled at Buffy and nodded in thanks. Buffy wasn't finished yet, "No matter how much you prove your self, I think I still love Angel and always will. And I need him to know that."  
  
Spike nodded and sighed an unnecessary sigh. He leaned his head back to show that he had accepted Buffy's explanation and he needed no more.  
  
Buffy stood up and grabbed her coat. She went to the seat where Willow and Xander were now sitting in silence at. They scooted over so that Buffy could sit with them.  
  
Willow leaned her head on Buffy's shoulder and fell asleep.  
  
Buffy was restless and it was hard for her to fall asleep. Not because she couldn't use about a month of sleep, but that she had so much on her mind.  
  
'I just need to talk to him.' She thought and with that she closed her eyes.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Sorry it is so short. I am sick so it's lucky I could do this much. Thanx to the reviewers. It is much appreciated. 


	3. Ch3 Reaching LA

Reviewer's response:  
  
X-identaty, Meghan, Lindsay, kat461, Tariq- I do hope you enjoy this long update, thanx so much for your reviews and wishes for me to get better!  
  
Buffy Fan- Why do anti-B/A people read fics they know they won't like? My only advice to you is to read stories you know you'll like and not criticize people that like different things than you do.  
  
Ok...Now that that is cleared up...onward!  
  
Ch.3  
  
An hour later the sun was gone and the moon rose above the desert between Sunnydale and LA.  
  
Xander had moved over to Anya and they were both resting.  
  
Faith watched Robin as he slept. Andrew and Dawn were talking quietly, too pumped up from the war.  
  
Spike lay his head on the window that was no longer covered and pretended to sleep.  
  
Buffy and the ex-SIT's tried to sleep, but it was no use for Buffy who was restless with her wound. She sat up and saw Willow holding a still comatose Tara.  
  
"You okay?" Buffy asked the red head.  
  
"Yeah." She said, quieter than usual but still normal, "I think I am gonna be just fine." Willow smiled as she looked at Tara, "Kennedy was a good person and would have been a better Slayer." Buffy nodded.  
  
Willow let a tear fall from her eye and Buffy hugged her, "It'll be ok Will. And you have Tara with you. I know she'll come out of it. She has too. She has you to look forward to when she wakes up. She's lost, but she'll find her way. She did before."  
  
Willow nodded, "She's strong. Like an Amazon."  
  
Buffy let go of Willow and leaned back onto the seat, forgetting about her stab wound and regretting it. She hissed in pain.  
  
"Let me fix that for you.." Willow pleaded.  
  
"I'm good. Thanks though."  
  
Willow wiped a tear away, "Are you sure? You're still bleeding."  
  
"I'm sure. There just isn't enough supplies. Besides, were almost in LA and I can get help there."  
  
Willow nodded, "I was scared we might lose you."  
  
"I was too." Buffy nodded.  
  
"Buffy." Dawn said, balancing her way toward them, "Giles says we should be there in about 20 minutes."  
  
"Ok Dawnie. Thanks." Buffy said and looked out the window as they came upon the bright lights of Los Angeles.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Willow opened the door of the Hotel and looked around. It was silent.  
  
"Uh, Hello. Angel? Cordy? Wesley?" Still no noise.  
  
Willow stepped down the stairs and walked into the office behind the counter. Nobody.  
  
"Who are you?" A young man asked, startling the red head.  
  
She turned to face him, "Hi. I'm Willow. Is Angel around?" Willow reached out her hand to great the boy. He did not reach for it and she pulled it back to her side.  
  
"He's not here." He said, with no emotion.  
  
"Oh. Ok. Wesley?"  
  
"No."  
  
Willow frowned.  
  
"I can help, with whatever you need. Demons? Vampires?" The boy said eagerly, and openly.  
  
"Um...No." Willow said, taken back by his bluntness, "We need a place to stay."  
  
The young man frowned in confusion.  
  
Willow led him out of the hotel and onto a bus of hurting girls and scoobies.  
  
"Please." Willow asked the boy.  
  
He nodded, "Come in."  
  
Buffy stood up, "Thank you." She said to him and then took charge, "Faith, you and Giles take all the wounded to the hospital, including Dawn and Andrew-"  
  
"But!-"Dawn protested.  
  
"No arguing. I just want to make sure you're alright." She said in her genuine-care voice Dawn nodded.  
  
"Spike go with them, get some supplies and blood for yourself. Make sure everyone gets take care of." Buffy assumed.  
  
"Done." Spike agreed.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The young man led Willow, Xander, Anya, some less injured Slayers and Buffy, who was carrying Tara despite her own injury. Willow followed.  
  
"I'm Connor." The young man said.  
  
"Not to be rude but, Intro's later, room now." Buffy said, struggling with carrying Tara, agonizing pain and the little strength she could keep up right now.  
  
Buffy took Tara up to the room Connor showed her and went back downstairs.  
  
"Thanks again, I'm Buffy." She said as the ex-SIT's got cared for by Xander and Willow. Connor nodded.  
  
"Um...Where is everybody?" Buffy asked, wondering where Wes, Cordy and Angel were, as well as the people she had heard Willow mention a few years ago.  
  
Connor shrugged, "I don't know."  
  
"What happened?" Connor asked, changing the subject.  
  
Buffy took a deep breath as she scanned the room full of broken girls, "War."  
  
Connor frowned, but before he could ask Buffy what she meant, she fell to the floor. He rushed to her, "Hey!"  
  
Willow and Xander dropped what they were doing and ran to Buffy. One of the Slayers took over wound check.  
  
"Buff!" Xander yelled, trying to wake her.  
  
She didn't move.  
  
"We should have taken her to the hospital." Willow said with guilt.  
  
"Will, you know she hates hospitals." Xander said, easing willow's feeling of remorse.  
  
"Is she ok?" Connor asked as Xander picked her up.  
  
It wasn't until she was in Xander's arms that he saw the blood seeping through her shirt,  
  
"Yeah we just have to fix her up. It isn't the first time this has happened." Xander said as he got to the top of the stairs.  
  
Connor frowned, but instead pointed them to a room. Angel's room.  
  
Together, Willow and Xander managed to clean up Buffy's sticky, bloody clothes enough to get to her stabbing.  
  
Xander laid Buffy on her side and Willow lifted up her shirt, "Woah." She said, seeing the wound in its fullness.  
  
"She must have been going on adrenaline." Xander observed, "I'm gonna go help with the girls." Xander said and he and Connor left.  
  
Willow finished cleaning Buffy's wound and bandaging it. She figured it would need stitches, but hoped Buffy would be up to decide to do it. Willow put one of Angel's oversized button downs on Buffy and let her rest.  
  
- - -- - -- - -- - - -  
  
Longer chaps. Are good huh? Next chapter will tell where everyone is. I  
haven't written it yet, but I do know that much. Ciao! 


	4. Ch4 Where is Everybody?

Ch.3  
  
*starts the next day*  
  
Gunn and Fred walked into the Hyperion. They saw a dozens of girls sleeping, or crying in pain. Many of them injured, some worse than others.  
  
"Connor?" Fred called out, confused.  
  
Gunn looked around at the girls. A dark haired woman, a blonde and "Willow?" he saw.  
  
"Gunn! Hi." Willow said. The three women walked over to the dark man.  
  
"Hi. What's going on? Looks like a tornado blew through here." Gunn asked.  
  
"Hi Willow." Fred said happily.  
  
"Hey Fred. And No. No tornado.'  
  
"Will?" The blonde asked.  
  
Willow jumped at her forgetfulness, "Oh! Gunn, Fred. This is Faith" Willow said to the brunette, "And Buffy." She introduced.  
  
Fred and Gunn looked at each other and raised their brows, "Buffy? Buffy- Buffy?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Um. Yeah." Buffy said confused at his question.  
  
"Sorry, we've just heard a lot about you." Fred said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
There was an awkward silence in the air.  
  
"Do you guys know where Angel is? Or Cordeilia or Wesley?" Buffy asked as she made her way around sleeping slayers and into the office as Fred, Gunn, Willow and Faith followed, Xander was already sitting in Angel's office with Giles.  
  
"This is Xander and Giles." Buffy said, then turned to Fred and Gunn awaiting their answer.  
  
"Well Wes is...he's at his apartment. He doesn't work here anymore. Not since he kidnapped Angel's son and-"Fred was cutoff.  
  
"Angel's SON?!" Buffy asked in shock. "Yeah. Don't you know? It's Connor. I assumed you met." Fred said, questioningly.  
  
"Well we met, but he never said...I guess that explains the broodiness." Buffy said.  
  
Gunn laughed.  
  
"Wait, so if that's Angel's son, he looks like he's 20, how come none of us knew about him. We all knew Angel just a couple years ago." Faith asked.  
  
"Well he was only born last year. But this guy, Holtz, he kidnapped Connor and raised him in a hell dimension where-"  
  
"Time moves faster." Giles finished for Gunn.  
  
"So Deadboy's got a son. Who knew?" Xander said jokingly.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Ok. So then where's Angel and Cordy?"  
  
"Well, we don't know. A couple of months ago Angel was supposed to meet Cordy to talk, and neither of them ever came back. We checked her apartment and nothing. She didn't even take any of her stuff. Like they both just-"  
  
"Disappeared." Willow finished for Fred.  
  
Fred nodded.  
  
"And you guys made no attempt to...look for him?" Buffy said, "them?"  
  
"We did. That's where we were at last night. We got a lead, but it wasn't him" Gunn said.  
  
"Where does Wes live?" Buffy asked.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
There was a knock at Wesley's door.  
  
He got up from his bed, a sleeping Lilah next to him. He pulled on some slacks and a shirt. He grabbed a gun out of his coat.  
  
He opened the door slowly, held the gun behind his leg.  
  
"Buffy?" He asked.  
  
In the doorway stood Buffy, Faith and Giles.  
  
Buffy stood in front. Wesley put the gun down on the table next to the door.  
  
Buffy smiled nervously, having heard about what happened to him. He stepped into the light and she could clearly see the scar on his neck.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked, almost annoyed by their presence.  
  
Faith thought he might be scared of her, since their last encounter involved her torturing him.  
  
Buffy thought he might still be mad at her for firing him.  
  
"Hello to you too." Buffy tried to joke to clear the air.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Faith. Giles." Wesley greeted solemnly.  
  
"Hello." Giles said and smiled a half smile. Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them.  
  
Faith stayed silent.  
  
Buffy sighed annoyed, "I don't have time for this. I am sorry about what happened to you and that you're all broody and depressed, but I need to know where angel and Cordy are. Do you know anything?"  
  
Wesley was relieved at Buffy's straightforwardness, and a little admiring at it as well. He could tell that she had grown up since he had seen her last.  
  
"Come in, but be quiet." Wesley warned. He really didn't want to wake Lilah and have to deal with her.  
  
The visitors walked in and Giles and Faith sat on a couch, Wes sat in an arm chair. Buffy stood in a powerful manner.  
  
"I have acquired through...informants, that perhaps Angel has been, submerged under the water at the Santa Monica harbor."  
  
Buffy's eyes grew wide, "Under the Ocean?!? And you're just leaving him there? How long have you known?" Buffy accused him of being uncaring and heartless.  
  
"I don't know where Buffy! I can't very well go look around all over that harbor. I would be there for months."  
  
"Yes! You could. But you wouldn't would you? You don't care at all. Angel was you friend. How can you just leave him there and not even try to find him?"  
  
"Angel abandoned me! He tried to kill me! I wonder why I even bothered asking where he might be."  
  
"Hello! Join the club! Angel tried to kill everyone in this room!" Buffy yelled, then lowered her tone, "And we still care."  
  
Buffy walked to the door, followed by the still silent Faith and Giles.  
  
"Sorry. Thank you for the information. It could prove to be useful. Buffy's just. She's just upset." Giles tried explaining.  
  
Wesley made no expression of understanding and shut the door.  
  
He went back to his room and found Lilah awake. He went to his closet, "It's time" He told Justine.  
  
- - - - -- -- -- - -  
  
Whee! Update! Hope you all like it. Ciao! 


	5. Ch5 Finding an Angel

Woah! Thanx to all the reviews!  
  
Tariq- So glad u are liking it. This is all for you. (  
  
To all the people that want Wesley to be cool, that is what this chapter is gonna build up too. Making Wes kick ass! (mostly it's just a re-write of "Deep Down") It might not happen fully this chapter, but I guarantee you some cool Wesley stuff.  
  
X-identaty, Aries gurl, CF, cordyliveson, Anna- Thanx so much for reading and I hope u continue to R&R!  
  
BAanne9- Worry not, this is going to end up B/A! it's all I am!  
  
Shahid- thanx for your review. I haven't made Connor act like Angelus or kick spike's ass because of what shall happen in this chapter (if you remember the episode "Deep Down" you'll remember why he acts this way)  
  
Marchelle- Are you sure it's not showing up? U might try it now! And you are very welcome for this fic. (  
  
Onward!  
  
A/N- I made a mistake last chapter, Lilah IS sleeping, not awake. And for the sake of the 1st scene, let's say she's a heavy sleeper.  
  
Ch.5  
  
Wes looked through the bars in the doorway of his closet and saw a shackled and gagged Justine, "Let's go for a boat ride." He said.  
  
Wesley opened the bars and grabbed Justine's arm, she cried out as he dragged her on the floor to the door, but couldn't be heard through the gag.  
  
Wesley dropped her and put on his coat and shoes.  
  
He grabbed her arm again and opened his front door. He dragged her out as Lilah was just beginning to stir in the room. By the time Lilah woke up, Wesley was gone with Justine and driving out of the parking lot.  
  
They drove to the Marina. It was nighttime so nobody was around to see him pull Justine from the car and onto a small fishing boat.  
  
When they were on the water, Wesley let the gag go made her sit down.  
  
Justine cursed at him in her mind, but feared his reaction if he heard her. She stayed still and quiet.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Any luck?" Xander asked as Buffy, Faith and Giles came back from Wesley's.  
  
"No." Buffy scowled as she sat down.  
  
"It might have had something to do with B. yelling at him." Faith suggested as she followed Buffy.  
  
"There was yelling?" Willow asked as she walked into the lobby, still full of girls, most of them sleeping.  
  
"Quite a bit actually, but he wasn't telling anything anyways." Giles said.  
  
"So what do we do now?" Fred asked.  
  
"I don't know." Buffy sighed. She put her head in her hands, "Are you sure you looked everywhere, talked to everyone?"  
  
"We talked to everyone and everything that might know where Angel went to and even killed the majority. Nobody saw anything." Gunn said.  
  
"The only thing that might have seen what happened, Connor killed her." Fred said.  
  
"She attacked me!" Connor said.  
  
"I know." Fred said.  
  
Buffy stood up, "I can't stay here. I'll be back."  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn hollered as she ran to catch up with her sister.  
  
Buffy turned around.  
  
"It'll be ok. We'll find him and he'll be ok. You'll see." Dawn tried to reassure her.  
  
Buffy gave a halfhearted smile and put her hand to Dawn's face and it cupped her cheek. It lay there for a second and then Buffy let go as she walked out the double door.  
  
Someone ran up behind her as she reached the gate of the old hotel, she thought it would be Willow or Spike, it wasn't.  
  
"Hay! Mind if I come along?" Connor asked her.  
  
Buffy shrugged her shoulder and the both of them walked out onto the crowded street.  
  
An hour later, Connor and Buffy had killed 2 vampires, without saying a single word to each other finally Buffy spoke up.  
  
"You remind me of Angel." Buffy said.  
  
"I'm nothing like him!" Connor said angrily.  
  
"More alike than you think."  
  
"He's a monster."  
  
Buffy turned to him, "He's a good man."  
  
Connor was silent. Buffy had given him a look of death when she stared at him, and honestly, it frightened him a little.  
  
"I get it." Buffy said, "You were raised in a hell dimension, you're new here. You don't understand yet. Who Angel is, who he really is. He the best person I have ever known, and the best soul. You remind me of the broody, self-hating part, but so righteous it's scary."  
  
Connor stopped and looked at him, "Who are you?" he asked. Nobody had ever told him about Buffy, and he wanted to know how it was possible for someone to even like Angel.  
  
"I'm Buffy."  
  
"I know that. I mean who are you? Why did you bring all those girls and people, and vampire" he spat that word out like it was sour lemons in his mouth, "How you know my father?"  
  
"I'm the-a vampire Slayer. My job is-"  
  
"Oh. I've heard of you. Slayers I mean. But if you're a slayer why did you say that Angel's such a good guy and why did you bring a vampire with you?"  
  
Buffy sighed, "Things aren't always so cut and dry. There's a lot of gray area in this world. Spike and Angel, they're part of the gray area. Angel has a soul and so does Spike." She looked at him, hoping he would accept her answer.  
  
He didn't, "That doesn't change who he is. My father killed hundred's of people. He's a monster."  
  
Buffy stopped walking again, "He's not. Angel didn't kill all of those people, Angelus did. You'd do good to learn that. They are two completely different people. Angelus is an evil prick that deserved to go to hell, but Angel..." she sighed, she didn't know what else to say except, "I loved him."  
  
Connor's eyes grew wide as he stared at the petite blonde's words, "love? You loved it?"  
  
"I told you, I love--d Angel." Buffy caught herself and added a 'd' quickly to 'love'.  
  
Connor considered this unfathomable, "Why?"  
  
"It's complicated."  
  
Buffy didn't want to explain, nor did she have to because just then they were attacked by vampires, who became dust fast then you can saw 'gesundheit'.  
  
Buffy and Connor walked back to the hotel and noticed that everyone but the Scooby and AI gang was sleeping.  
  
"What's going on?" Connor asked, sensing something was up. One of the only things he was thankful for in having vampire parents.  
  
"Sit." Gunn said angrily, staring daggers at Connor.  
  
Buffy furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Willow for answers. Willow had a sad look on her face.  
  
Giles took his glasses off and wiped them with his kerchief that was in his pocket.  
  
Fred, Faith, and Xander were also in the room, scowling. Spike and others were nowhere to be seen, and Buffy knew that whatever was happening, it was serious.  
  
Connor and Buffy walked down the steps. Gunn took Connor by the shoulder and shoved him into a chair. Buffy made a silent protest with her face, but just sat on the circular couch in the lobby.  
  
Fred started, "We got a phone call, it was from Wesley. Want to guess why he called?"  
  
Connor shrugged.  
  
Gunn got a look on his face like he was happy that Connor had reacted that way, "It could have something to do with why Angel went missing. Wanna give it another stab?"  
  
Connor remained a cool exterior, another trait from having vampires as parents.  
  
Gunn punched Connor in the face and Connor's young slender body fell to the floor, "What the hell?!" Buffy yelled, she tried helping Connor off the floor.  
  
Buffy helped Connor over to the couch she had just got off of.  
  
Willow walked over to Buffy and put her hand on Buffy's shoulder, telling her to ease off. Buffy was confused, "Would someone like to tell me what the hell is going-"  
  
Buffy was cut off by the double doors of the hotel being opened by Wesley, carrying a nearly dead, again, looking Angel. Buffy turned her head and ran over to help Wesley carry the limp Angel in.  
  
Connor tried to make a run for it, but within those two seconds, Buffy used her slayer speed to put Angel down and catch Connor with a punch to the side of his head.  
  
Gunn and Fred went to Connor and grabbed him by his feet. With help from Faith, they tied him to the chair he had been shoved into earlier.  
  
Wesley was walking out the door when Buffy yelled after him, "Wesley!" he turned around. She didn't know what to say, so she softened her eyes and her tone, "Thank you."  
  
He made no expression and just left.  
  
Buffy went to Angel who was leaning on the red circle couch, "Angel." She asked.  
  
He could barely comprehend what she was saying.  
  
"He's so weak." Tears came her eyes, but she fought them back, "What happened?" She asked anyone who could answer.  
  
"Connor. Wesley found out that Connor trapped Angel in the harbor by the beach where Angel was supposed to be." Giles said.  
  
"In the ocean? For three months?" Buffy asked rhetorically.  
  
Giles bowed his head and looked at the floor.  
  
A small tear glided down Buffy's face as she squatted down and looked Angel in his pale face. She cupped her hand to his face. His eyes opened.  
  
"Buffy?" he mustered out.  
  
She nodded, another tear fell down her face.  
  
"I dreamed that you'd find me." He whispered. "Always." She smiled. "Rest now." She said and looked at Faith, Xander and Giles to get Angel upstairs.  
  
They didn't even need her to tell them.  
  
Buffy stood up and leaned over to kiss Angel's forehead before her friends took Angel to the safety of his bed.  
  
Buffy wiped the tear from her face and her vulnerability was gone when she looked up with her Slayer face, "Take him into the office." She said as she marched into the room behind the desk.  
  
Gunn, Fred and Willow pulled their strength to drag Connor into the office.  
  
- - --- - --- - - - -  
  
Next Chapter! Buffy "talks" to Connor, with him tied up. R&R Ciao! 


	6. Ch6 Close call

Thanx to Queen Boadicea, CF and Lindsay, enjoy!  
  
Tariq-Hun, sorry I changed part of your challenge and had Wes automatically take Angel to the Hyperion, but I didn't really know what else to do. I hope all is still good.  
  
A/N: This is kinda angsty. *Remember that one of Buffy's fears is that she is just a killer, and that she might end up killing a human. *  
  
Yep, here it comes! Pissed off Buffy to the rescue!  
  
Ch.6  
  
Willow, Gunn and Fred stopped dragging Connor's chair in the middle of the dimly lit office.  
  
Buffy was fuming. She was standing in the darkest corner of the room, trying to get her anger and thoughts together. She ran her hands through her hair and held her them to her neck.  
  
When Connor finally woke up Giles, Xander and Faith were back from Angel's room.  
  
Buffy was the first to notice Connor slowly waking. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she knew she didn't have a good temper when it came to someone hurting Angel. She asked Giles to go stay with Angel and Willow to look for some way of helping him.  
  
Willow went into the lobby with Xander, but stayed within hearing distance.  
  
Buffy was in her dark corner with Faith, Gunn and Fred sitting around the room, also furious with the vampire offspring.  
  
Connor made a groaning noise, realizing how badly his head hurt. He tried reaching for it, but the ropes that Buffy tightened wouldn't budge.  
  
"You're not getting out of that, so don't bother." Buffy said, seemingly calm though she was really burning with anger. She walked out of the dark and into the murky office.  
  
She had the strongest look on her face, purely business. At that moment Buffy was thankful that she had had years to perfect her scowl during questioning.  
  
"Why did you tie me up?" Connor asked, acting oblivious to the reason behind their attacking him.  
  
"I am very certain you know." Buffy said, with her teeth clenched together. She was getting seriously pissed with his ignorance.  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." He glowered.  
  
"You're lying!" Fred yelled, standing up.  
  
Gunn pulled her back down to the spot next to him. Buffy kept her menacing eyes on Connor.  
  
"I am going to give you one chance to tell me the truth and if you lie to me I will beat you to death!" Buffy leaned down and put her hands on either of the armrests to the chair Connor was in, looking straight into his eyes, "You think I'm lying?" she asked quietly.  
  
She stood back up and looked at him expecting an answer.  
  
He didn't give one.  
  
Buffy was fed up with his inanity and she ran to his chair, "I know what you did!" She screamed as she punched him over and over in his face, "You disgusting thing!"  
  
Faith, Gunn and Fred were lost for what to do.  
  
Then, someone grabbed Buffy's arm, as she was about to strike the very bloody and half-conscious Connor, again.  
  
It was a firm grip, enough to hold her. She turned and saw Angel.  
  
"Stop." He whispered.  
  
Buffy let go of Connor and backed up. She had never been so close to killing a human before, and this one was Angel's son. She looked at the blood on her hands as Connor spit blood out of his mouth.  
  
"He's the monster." She spoke in a whisper, almost like she was trying to convince herself.  
  
Angel didn't have much strength, but he knew that Buffy wasn't going to stop and everyone in the room wouldn't have made her. Angel put his paler than usual hands on Buffy's tiny shoulders and moved her out of the room.  
  
He sat her down on the red circle couch. She still stared at the blood on her hands, she shaking in anger and in fear of what might have just happened.  
  
Angel pushed himself to the limit to calm Buffy down, though he had no strength whatsoever and he would probably pass out from too much movement, but being there for Buffy had always been more important than his own self.  
  
He mumbled calming words to her as she stared at her little hands.  
  
Faith, Gunn and Fred were in the lobby now, wondering what was happening. Willow and Xander stood behind Angel's back.  
  
Giles came running down the stairs, in a panic. "Angel?" he asked. He saw Buffy in a state of fright and Angel comforting her. Giles worried about Angel getting up when he was half dead-again, but he couldn't argue with the vampire.  
  
Nobody paid attention as Connor worked out of the tight ropes and quietly tried to escape out of the door to the basement.  
  
His plan backfired when Angel cut him off in front of the door. "Where are you going?"  
  
"She's crazy!" Connor said, raising an arm towards Buffy who was now being held by Willow.  
  
Angel nodded slightly and threw Connor against the wall. He bent down, "What you did to me, was unthinkable, but then again, Buffy sent me to hell once for a hundred years." He quipped and took an unnecessary breath and Connor scowled at him.  
  
"I love you Connor." He grabbed Connor by the collar and shoved him out the basement door, "Now get out!"  
  
Connor cursed and left.  
  
Angel fell back against the wall, losing strength rapidly.  
  
He used what little strength he had, to take Buffy up to his room and lay her down, when she finally closed her eyes, he quickly fell onto the bed and slept for hours.  
  
- - - --- - - - -- - -  
  
Yep! There you have it. Next Chapter: Buffy has some odd dreams, could they be a BB? 


	7. Ch7 I trust you

Queen Boadicea- lol. I am glad you noticed, I noticed it too in one of my earlier fics, but it just became a habit. Buffy in this story is serious because she had been previously in S7, but I'll work on making it more buffy-esque, promise. Glad you're enjoying! CF-Dangerous Buffy is a good Buffy. Lindsay- yes, there's a little more to work out, but romance to come, definitely. Kat461-hope u enjoy! Shahid- I appreciate your reviews! They help me out! Thanks! Tariq-ok, I'll work on it.  
  
Sorry I don't update so often you guys, School keeps me so busy! I'll try to update every weekend.  
  
A/N: Wesley did not feed Angel his blood on the boat in this story, so he is still really weak.  
  
Onward!  
  
** Indicates dreams**  
  
Ch.7  
  
** Buffy walked through the burning office. The only light was from the fires of the office. She could barely see her own hands, but that wasn't really her priority numero uno.  
  
Her hair fell in front of her face as a strong gust of wind blew threw the once lavish offices.  
  
She wrapped her arms around her midriff, as she walked through the building in a daze.  
  
She opened a door and walked in it. This room was darker the last. Her 'spider sense' was tingling.  
  
A gust of air went threw her as a dark shadow passed her.  
  
She stopped, "He-hello?" She called.  
  
She circled around, searching for something, but she didn't know what.  
  
Buffy was indifferent to the bodies on the floor, as she could not see them. The fire burned darker.  
  
Then there was a flash of bright light that knocked Buffy onto the floor, next to a mutilated body.  
  
The light dimmed down and there was a female figure standing.  
  
Buffy squinted. A pure white glow came from the woman, "Cordeilia?" Buffy asked.  
  
The woman smiled and nodded.  
  
"Buffy, things are going to get rough. Take care of him for me. I trust you." And with that the vision of Cordy was gone, and there was no light in the room.  
  
Buffy stood up and let her eyes adjust to the cold room. The fire had no affect on the temperature or feeling of the room.  
  
Buffy walked through another door that opened itself.  
  
In the room stood three figures. Buffy could only make out two of them. One was Wes and one was Angel.  
  
He looked much better than he had earlier and she smiled. So did he.  
  
Buffy looked at the other figure she could see.  
  
Wesley looked violent. He had a coarse look on his face.  
  
In an instant the third figure was gone, and then in another second attacked her from behind, putting it's rocky hand over her mouth. **  
  
Buffy awoke from her dream with a start. She sat straight up in the bed. She ran her sticky fingers through her blonde hair.  
  
After a few minutes she calmed down and noticed that Angel was in the bed with her, still paler than usual and obviously very sick.  
  
Buffy pulled her hands from out of her hair. She saw the blood on them and a tear fell down her face.  
  
She stood up and ran into the bathroom. She scrubbed her hands until they were red. She stared into the small mirror over the medicine cabinet.  
  
She ran warm water over her face and then dried off.  
  
When she went into the room Angel was still asleep and Buffy was going to keep it that way.  
  
She grabbed a shirt out of her bag and changed it for the one that still had blood on it. Connor's blood.  
  
Buffy left Angel's room quietly and walked down the grand staircase to see Xander and Anya sitting together, holding hands and flirting shamelessly. Buffy smirked 'at least something good is happening' she thought.  
  
"Mornin' Buffster. How'd ya sleep?" Xander said looking up.  
  
"Not so good. I had a dream, it gave me the wiggins."  
  
"Where' Will?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Upstairs, with Tara. She's been doin' that a lot lately." Xander answered.  
  
Buffy nodded.  
  
"What kind of dream?" Giles asked, coming into the sitting area in the living area handing each of them a cup of coffee.  
  
"Oh. You know the usual. Fire. Death. Shadows."  
  
Giles raised an eyebrow.  
  
Behind the four Sunnydale alum something crashed.  
  
They looked behind and saw Dawn, Andrew and a few Slayer's getting into a weapon's cabinet and Andrew had dropped a broad sword, "Sorry." He said nervously.  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes and returned to her conversation.  
  
"Well what exactly happened?" Giles asked.  
  
"I was walking through this office and there was fire and dead bodies. Then I saw Cordeilia and-"  
  
"Cordy made a cameo?" Xander asked.  
  
"Yeah, but all she said was the thing would get hard and for me to take care of him and that she trusted me, so I thoroughly believe I was imagining it, because Cordeilia and nice don't go hand in hand." Buffy laughed.  
  
Xander and Giles smiled too.  
  
"Yes well people change. I used to be tactless and money hungry, but now I find myself more compassionate and respectful of the money I don't have." Anya nodded.  
  
Buffy shook her head and continued on without another thought to Anya's statement, "I dunno if she was really a part of my dream though. Her being there seemed more...real than the rest of it."  
  
Giles nodded and Buffy smiled. She missed connecting with her ex-Watcher. She hadn't needed him to act as her Watcher for a long time, and it felt homey to be telling him these things now.  
  
Gunn and Fred walked into the Hyperion, hand in hand after having their morning breakfast at their favorite diner.  
  
"Morning G-man." Gunn said to Giles.  
  
Giles hated being called 'G-Man' since Xander had done it for years, but he smiled tightly and looked away, "Good Morning."  
  
Fred smiled, "How did you sleep Buffy?"  
  
"Okay. Just had a fiery doom kind of dream, but other than that, all was good."  
  
Fred didn't know what to say, so she nodded. "How's Angel?" Fred asked.  
  
Buffy sighed, "I don't know. I was kind of... out of it, I guess he fell asleep right after me. He was still out when I got up."  
  
Fred nodded and Gunn held up a bag, "We picked up some blood for him. I'll heat it up and go give it to the Boss."  
  
Buffy stood up as Gunn turned to go behind the counter, "Gunn?"  
  
He turned around.  
  
"I'll take it to him." Buffy said.  
  
Gunn nodded and put the bag on the counter, and then he joined his girlfriend in the people free office.  
  
Buffy pulled out the quarts of blood and put a few in the fridge. She saved one and poured the content in a large cup next to the microwave.  
  
'This won't be enough' she thought.  
  
Buffy looked around the lobby to see if anybody was watching her then put a knife in her pocket.  
  
She put the cup in the microwave and set it for 2 minutes. Then she took it up to Angel.  
  
She set the mug down next to the bed and sat next to Angel.  
  
Angel was stirring in his sleep restlessly. Tears fell down his cheeks and Buffy fought not to wrap her tiny arms around him and tell him everything would be okay.  
  
Angel was weak. Weaker, since he had to stop her from beating the life out of his son last night. She closed her eyes at the thought of the blood dripping down Connor's forehead.  
  
She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, she knew what she had to do to make him strong again.  
  
She shook his shoulder, "Angel." His eyes opened.  
  
She helped him sit up.  
  
He was so much colder to the touch than she remembered him ever being.  
  
Angel moaned, his body fragile.  
  
Buffy gave him the cup of pigs blood and he drank it in a second, thirsty for more.  
  
She pulled the knife from her pocket and rolled up her sleeve.  
  
She laid Angel back down all the way and his head was on the pillow.  
  
Angel had his eyes closed.  
  
Buffy made a cut on her forearm, and she was uncaring to the blood that spilled.  
  
She put her arm to him mouth and his eyes opened. He looked into her eyes and "I trust you." She said and then nodded, telling him it was ok.  
  
Angel was too frail to protest and so he drank. Buffy gasped. She pulled away and Angel was in game face.  
  
She slowed her breaths and after a few minutes Angel turned back to his human façade.  
  
"Why'd you do that?" Angel asked as he sat up, gaining strength.  
  
Buffy honestly didn't know. She stood up and went to the door, "I'll be back later. You should rest."  
  
Angel leaned onto the headboard and closed his eyes.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Wesley walked through the musty bar and sat next to a spikey demon, two times Wesley's size.  
  
He slapped down ten fifty-dollar bills, "What do you know?"  
  
The demon turned to him and in husky voice it seemed to growl, "He's in a warehouse by docktown. He's held up there for the time being. Who knows how long he'll stay."  
  
"You're sure it's his son?" Wesley asked taking a drink of his whiskey.  
  
"I'm pretty sure."  
  
"Be certain." The ex-watcher threatened.  
  
"It's the vampire's kid."  
  
Wesley took a final swig of whiskey and picked up his money.  
  
"Hey!" The demon growled.  
  
Wesley turned around and pulled out a gun, and shot the demon in the head with no expression on his face.  
  
Spike watched as Wesley walked out the door of the rank bar. Spike took a drink of his beer and pulled out a five. He laid it down and followed Wesley out of the bar, then headed toward the Hyperion Hotel.  
  
R&R! 


	8. Ch8 Not caring

Reviews- Tariq-I am glad that you liked this Wes. I will work on making Angel have a mean streak, but it'll probably happen later. I wanna kinda focus on some romance this chapter just cause I am in the mood. Hehe. Hope you still like it. Lindsay – I am glad you are loving it. Hehe Shahid- I enjoy your comments, however since this is a story in response to a challenge I do have certain guidelines to follow, so I will try to incorporate Wes more for your reading pleasure, but don't be too disappointed. Thanx for reading! Kat461-Thanks ever so much for your review! Hope you like what's coming! Queen Boadicea- I am glad my Scooby lingo has improved, I'll continue to work on it. Thanks for R&R!  
  
I really, really appreciate your guys' faithful reviews! Thanks ever so much! BTW-The next few chapters will be bordering on PG-13 territory.  
  
Ch.8  
  
"Hey." Angel said walking into the dimly lit office that was formerly Wesley's.  
  
Buffy looked up from her book that she was researching in, "Angel." She smiled.  
  
Angel beamed in his heart, she still said his name like she used too. He sat in the chair opposite the petite blonde.  
  
Buffy continued to look at him as he sat down, obviously still in pain as it took him a minute to find a comfortable spot, but better than hallucinating dreams that kept him in bed, not that she minded Angel in bed. She smiled at the thought, 'bad Buffy. Very bad Buffy' she scolded to herself and let her face straighten out.  
  
"How are you feeling?" She asked, closing her book and nervously touched her tight ponytail.  
  
"Mmmm. Better. Thanks." He said in typical short yet informative Angel fashion.  
  
"That's good. I was hoping..."  
  
"You didn't have too...feed me." He said, his eyes fluttered to the floor in shame of what he was, what she had to give to him. Life.  
  
"It's ok." She sighed, "You needed your strength. Besides it's the least I can do after I practically squished your son."  
  
Angel shook his head, "You don't owe me anything." He looked up at her.  
  
"I know, but you needed help and I could give it to you. I was feeling givey."  
  
"Still...You shouldn't have-"  
  
"It's ok Angel." She said and walked around the desk and stood in front of him sitting in the chair.  
  
She took his room temperature hand in hers and made him stand up.  
  
He looked down at Buffy who, no matter how tall her boots were, was still a good 6 inches shorter than him.  
  
He stared at her gray-green eyes she had worn since Angel had left her. He had noticed it every time he had seen her since their separation. Her eyes grew a little grayer every time he'd seen her compared to the forest green pools they had been when she was 16 and in love, with him.  
  
Buffy noticed the intensity and awkwardness in the air and let go of Angel's hand that had made its way up over her heart and held tightly in hers.  
  
"Thank you." He whispered.  
  
She sighed, realizing that she had made a mistake in letting his hand go if it meant they had to speak and ruin the much better quietness between them, "No sweat. I'm full of the Magic o' Slayer healing blood, besides it's not like-"  
  
He put a finger on her mouth "Not for that-well yes for that, but I meant for what you said before. About trusting me." He took his hand away from her mouth.  
  
"Oh." She breathed. Her gaze fell to the floor and she moved away from the proximity of Angel.  
  
Angel stood for a moment, drawing a needless breath, "It means a lot to me that you can trust me Buffy."  
  
Buffy smiled at the way he said her name, like it was the most important word in all of the languages that he knew.  
  
"Yeah." She blushed. There was a silence, "I am glad you are feeling better. You looked like death ran over you a third time."  
  
Angel gave a half laugh-half smile, "It was pretty close there for a while."  
  
"Yeah. I guess it's a good thing Wesley found you or else who knows how long it would have taken before I found you...you might have been..." Buffy couldn't finish her sentence, didn't want to think about what she almost said.  
  
Angel remained unreadable, a talent that he and Oz were famous for and drove Buffy and Willow crazy in High School.  
  
"Yeah. Good thing." Angel said to himself, not seeming to remember that Buffy had super hearing too.  
  
"I hope you don't mind me being here, with all the girls and stuff...It's just we had no where to go after Sunnydale became hole-y, and not in the water kind of way either." Buffy said, realizing that she never had Angel's permission to bring her dozens of Slayerette's and friends into his home.  
  
"I hardly noticed, until I took a look at my weapons cabinet and saw that one of my crossbows went missing and Gunn swore to me that he didn't have it. I figured it was one of the girls."  
  
"I'm sorry. I'll find it." Buffy said and started walking to the door, almost thankful to be relived of the horrible small talk conversation her and Angel seemed to always share when they met now, but Angel took hold of her arm and pulled her around, bringing her closer to him.  
  
"I already did. The guy with the blonde hair that talks a lot had it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"A little quick to leave weren't you?" Angel questioned, letting go of Buffy's arm, letting her back away from him.  
  
"I guess. It's not you, it's just...this is awkward."  
  
"Why?" Angel asked.  
  
"I don't know." Buffy confessed. A few days ago Buffy was ready to talk to Angel, tell him all about the fall of Sunnydale, her relationship with Spike, how when she was nearly dead, lying on the hard ground under Sunnydale High School, bleeding all she could think of was how she needed to live so she could see Angel. And now? She felt awkward and unwanted.  
  
"Do you want to talk about something?"  
  
"No...Yes."  
  
Angel smiled, "Anything in particular?"  
  
"Kind of...but not really. I just don't want things to be more...funky between us. I just want to talk to you...Like we used too."  
  
"Okay. So talk." He said and led her to a chair and then sitting in one himself.  
  
Buffy took a deep breath, but before she could get any words out Spike came into the office, "Slayer. I think we need to talk."  
  
"Spike?" Angel asked, his brow furrowed in confusion and anger.  
  
"What about?" Buffy asked him, thankful she was saved from the inevitable conversation she was about to begin with Angel.  
  
"I think there's something you might be interested in."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"That doesn't make sense." Buffy stated after Spike recounted what he had seen and heard in the bar.  
  
"Are you sure it was Wesley?" Willow asked, obviously confused.  
  
"Well...'bout yay high," He said bringing a hand to his face symbolizing how tall the man was, "accent, dark hair, psychotic. Yep pretty certain."  
  
"And you say he...shot this demon."  
  
"Was I unclear?" Spike said, getting annoyed at their questions.  
  
"Yo, that don't sound like Wes." Gunn said leaning against the counter separating the office from the lobby.  
  
"But we don't really know him anymore." Fred pointed out.  
  
"I don't really care." Buffy said angrily.  
  
Everyone looked at her, confused. Buffy was meant to help people so why is she just shrugging it off.  
  
"Look I'm sorry but from what you guys said about what he did, and how he acted the other day, I don't think we need to...well care."  
  
"Buffy, he was your watcher. And he saved Angel, I think we should at least help him." Giles tried.  
  
"I don't owe him anything except a card that says 'thanks for saving Angel...but no thanks for acting like a jerk and killing things for no reason'" Buffy took a deep breath as everyone furrowed their brow in confusion.  
  
"What do you want me to do?" Buffy asked the people in the room.  
  
"Nothing." Angel said, "You're right. We can't help him, we shouldn't have too."  
  
"You guys..." Willow protested but stopped, she knew that if both Buffy and Angel didn't want to at least talk to Wesley about his behavior, there had to be some reason, "Never mind."  
  
"Okay." Buffy said, "I have to check on the Slayer's. We probably look into organizing them, finding a place to stay, others. So much to do."  
  
Buffy started up the stairs where to slayers were residing in several rooms of the Hyperion, Angel caught up wither when she reached the landing.  
  
"Buffy!"  
  
She stopped.  
  
"You're not staying?" Angel asked her as she turned to face him.  
  
"I don't want to take up your space and your business." Buffy said.  
  
"You're not. It's ok, I kind of like knowing you guys are here, don't ask why."  
  
Buffy chuckled, "You're a little peculiar. You feel safe knowing there are dozens of *teenage* slayers in you home, breaking stuff and just stalking around when your sleeping and googling at you and your dark penetrating eyes and moving all your weapons and conveniently getting lost and finding your room and you and me both know that you aren't a PJ wearing creature of the night-"  
  
Angel laughed, "Buffy."  
  
Buffy's face grew bright crimson, "Sorry."  
  
"It's ok." Angel smiled moving a little closer, "Penetrating?"  
  
Buffy laughed, "Oh please, like you don't know."  
  
Angel beamed and Buffy broke the pleasant moment with worry, "You probably should go rest some more. Small steps. I should really check on the girls."  
  
And with that, she was bumbling down the hall leaving Angel to his thoughts and smiling. He really had missed her.  
  
Yeah fluffy I know...I couldn't help it. Next chapter, figuring out what was in Buffy's dream, some more Wes, and possibly the 'talk' Buffy needs to have with Angel. R&R 


	9. Ch9 Everyone else

Author's note: This story has taken a different direction than what the challenge had originally intended. I am going to slow down, and make this story clearer and address some individual ships other than B/A and other characters by request of Tariq, the person that asked me to write this story. I have never really written POV's other than Buffy and Angel and how they think regarding their relationship, but I am going to try.  
  
Here goes nothin'.  
  
Ch.9  
  
Willow sat in the dark room; she was reading a book of poems out loud to Tara that Angel had come in the night before and gave to Willow. The doctor's in Sunnydale had said it would be good for Tara to hear Willow's voice, 'it may even help her.' They said.  
  
There was a soft knock on the door, "Come in."  
  
Dawn entered the room, "Hey. I brought you some dinner. Angel made it."  
  
Willow smiled, "Thank you Dawnie...Angel cooked?"  
  
Dawn laughed, "It's actually really good." Dawn took a seat next to Tara on the bed, "How's she doing today?"  
  
"The same. I think she likes this book though. There was a smile on her face earlier." Willow held up the book of poems.  
  
Dawn smiled, "She probably does like it."  
  
Willow snacked on the pasta that Dawn brought her.  
  
"The nurse that Angel hired will be here tomorrow." Dawn informed Willow as she put her hand on Tara's.  
  
"He didn't have to do that."  
  
"He wanted too...Fred said that if you wanted, she would watch Tara tonight so you could sleep some."  
  
Willow shook her head, "I just want to be with her. I am afraid that if she wakes up, I won't be here."  
  
"You left her alone in Sunnydale." Dawn pointed out.  
  
"Yeah. But I just need her right now."  
  
Dawn didn't argue, "Buffy and Angel are going to let me and Andrew on patrol with them tonight. No Slayers!"  
  
"That's great Dawnie." Willow said half-heartedly.  
  
"Should be fun. But we can't stay out too long, Buffy says that Angel is still weak, but she won't tell him that. She's afraid he'll try to prove something."  
  
"She worries is all. He was trapped for three months, going crazy with hunger."  
  
Dawn nodded, "Well I should go. I promised Buffy I would help do dishes."  
  
Willow nodded, "Thanks Dawnie."  
  
When Willow was done with her food, she set the plate on a table and continued to read the poems to her lover.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Xander sat on the circular couch in the lobby, sharpening weapons with Anya and a few Slayers.  
  
He and Anya were working together and growing close again, ever since the battle with the first. He had thought that was the end, but it wasn't and he was thankful. His feelings for Anya had never seized, he had asked her for more time after he couldn't go through with the wedding and he was starting to think that was really all he needed.  
  
Anya was lecturing the girls about how weapons are expensive and everything costs money. Most of the weapons weren't even theirs; they belonged to the AI team. Buffy had told everyone that as long as they were staying in Angel's hotel, "for free, we might as well help out."  
  
Xander didn't mind, there wasn't a lot to do at the hotel anyways other than help set up a system for finding slayers and a place for them to go.  
  
Giles, along with Rona, Vi and Cho Ahn, had just left this morning to London to start trying to rebuild the Watcher's council. Faith and Robin had been gone for a week in New York, Miami and Cleveland, searching for Slayers.  
  
Behind the counter were Fred and Gunn. They were researching Buffy's dream from a few weeks ago. So far they haven't been able to find much, except a really long list of monster's or demons made of rock. They were also supposed to be trying to find Cordy, but Buffy offered to hit the streets, see what she could dig up.  
  
Xander set the broad sword he had been cleaning down and picked up a dagger to sharpen.  
  
Dawn and Andrew came down the stairs. Andrew looked stupid, wearing a black sweat suit and had black marks across his face.  
  
Buffy came from Angel's office, followed by Angel, "You two ready to go?" She asked Dawn and Andrew. They both nodded their heads feverishly.  
  
"You think they're excited Buff?" Xander joked.  
  
Buffy laughed, "Little bit."  
  
Buffy and Angel came to Xander and picked weapons from the pile, then Andrew and Dawn came too.  
  
"What are you doing?" Buffy asked the twosome.  
  
"Getting weapons." Dawn stated.  
  
"I said you could come...I didn't say you were going to kill anything."  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn whined.  
  
"How about a stake?" Angel asked Buffy.  
  
"Yeah. I guess."  
  
Angel gave Dawn and Andrew a stake each, "Don't poke out your eyes."  
  
"Ha...Ha." Dawn huffed and followed Buffy out of the hotel.  
  
Andrew and Angel followed them.  
  
"See you guys later." Angel called. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
An hour later Fred looked up from her book and saw Dawn and Andrew stalk into the hotel, "Hey."  
  
There was nobody but her, Gunn and Xander downstairs, now joined by the younger people.  
  
"Hey." Dawn grumbled.  
  
"What's wrong Dawnster?" Xander asked.  
  
"Buffy sent us back." Andrew said.  
  
"Any reason?" Gunn asked.  
  
"No! Well...maybe. I accidentally tried to kill a dog. How was I supposed to know it wasn't a werewolf?" Dawn asked.  
  
"It's not a full moon Dawn." Xander pointed out.  
  
"Like I knew that. I haven't watched the moons since Oz left." Dawn huffed and climbed up the stairs, "Buffy said her and Angel would be back in a while. I'm going to bed."  
  
"Night Dawnster."  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
Tariq-Is this better? Do you want Cordy to still be the big bad?  
  
R&R guys! 


	10. Ch10 Getting nowhere

Ch. 10  
  
"She's really gone." Angel said. He was sitting on his bed, Buffy sat behind him, his back faced her.  
  
They had just returned from yet another dead end lead on where Cordy might be.  
  
"You don't know that." Buffy tried, she put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I do. I feel it. She's just...gone."  
  
Buffy took a deep breath and moved closer to him, "We'll keep looking."  
  
Angel hung his head, "It's no use."  
  
"Of course it is Angel. It's only been a few months. She could still show up."  
  
"She won't."  
  
"You're one hell of a pessimist, have I ever told you that?"  
  
"Ha." Angel didn't really laugh at Buffy's attempts to lighten his mood, but he appreciated her efforts.  
  
This is part of the reason he loved her. She knew about his feeling for Cordelia and yet, she still wanted to help. She was so brave, so selfless. She has just been through the fight of her life, and yet here she is, ready to help some more.  
  
He sighed as she rubbed his back sympathetically. "Thank you."  
  
"I have to do something." She sighed and gave him a hug.   
  
A few hours after Buffy attempted to work through some of Angel's feelings, Willow stirred as someone entered the room.  
  
"mmm" she mumbled.  
  
"I didn't mean to wake you." Angel said softly as he shut the door.  
  
"It's ok." Willow sat up in the chair next to the bed and threw the blanket into a pile on the floor.  
  
"I brought you another book. 17th century, it's one of my favorites." He placed the book in Willow's hands and she smiled at him.  
  
"Thank you. I really liked the poems. I think Tara did too." She put the book on the nightstand and picked another one up and handed it too Angel.  
  
"I'm glad." He leaned against the wall opposite Willow's chair.  
  
"How are you doing?" He asked.  
  
"I'm ok. I'm just...I'm just waiting for her to wake up you know. Like she's just been asleep and when she wakes up we can start our day, like any other day."  
  
"Fred told me that you sent the nurse away." Angel said.  
  
"Yeah. It was really nice Angel, I just...I need to be with her."  
  
"I understand."  
  
Willow reached for Tara's hand and kissed it lightly, she closed her eyes as she did.  
  
Angel watched the act of love and purity with admiration. Willow had always been something different in the Scooby gang, the only one who was supportive in his and Buffy's relationship. He had come to know her as a friend of sorts.  
  
"Why don't you take a break, get some fresh air. Get something to eat. I'll stay with her."  
  
Willow looked at him, "You don't have too."  
  
"I want too."  
  
Willow looked from Tara to Angel and back again and she nodded, "If anything-"  
  
"I'll come and get you."  
  
Willow smiled and gave her lover a kiss on the forehead, "I'll be back soon baby."  
  
She gave Angel and unexpected hug as he was going to sit in the chair, "I'm glad you're ok. Thank you." And she walked out the door.  
  
Angel sat in the chair and watched Tara sleep peacefully on the bed.   
  
Wesley looked up from sharpening his sword when a knock was at the door.  
  
He put the sword down and picked up the handgun next to it. He made his way to the door and looked through the peephole. He sighed and begrudgingly opened the door, "What do you need?"  
  
"What the hell is your problem man?" Gunn asked as he pushed his way through the door.  
  
"Please, come in." He said sarcastically to himself as he shut the door.  
  
"Goin' around town, killing demons and things, for no reason! I got two phone calls tonight from my boys, telling me my former boss is out for blood."  
  
"And..." Wesley said nonchalantly.  
  
"And I want to know what the hell is your problem?"  
  
"I'm sorry, this is from the man that was ready and able to kill any demon and anything that wasn't human, not too long ago."  
  
"Don't give me that Wes. That was different."  
  
"How exactly?" Wesley asked, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"It just...was. That's not the point. You're killing our only leads to finding Cordy."  
  
"They wouldn't have been much help to you. Trust me."  
  
"Not anymore man. You've lost it. What happened to you?"  
  
"I got my throat slit and was abandoned by the people I trust."  
  
"You kidnapped Connor."  
  
"I did what I had to do."  
  
"We were friends, you should have trusted us-"  
  
"Past tense, we were friends, Charles. Leave." Wesley opened the door.  
  
Gunn huffed and walked out of the door into the hallway.  
  
"This is useless!" Fred puffed and laid her head down on the book in frustration.  
  
"Oh. No. It's not. We're totally making progress." Dawn said, her optimism was crushed when Andrew joined in on the pity party and pointed to the piles on the floor.  
  
"Look at all the books we've already gone through. I'm sure we'll-"  
  
"Those are the books we haven't read!"  
  
"Oh." Dawn plopped into the chair on the opposite side of the desk.  
  
"We don't even know what we're looking for." Fred said.  
  
"Well you just let me know if you need any help with research." Dawn said as she turned around, but was stopped by Andrew handing her a book.  
  
Dawn pouted and took her spot on the floor once more.  
  
TBC I'm so sorry that it's soooo late and seems unfinished. I've kinda had some family/friends trouble and my life is a mess and on top of that...writer's block! I need your guys' help. Who should be the big bad? The popular vote says not Cordy...so I need ideas! Thanks for the reviews. 


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